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Greg Hatcher Appreciation Thread

Well, since the comments fields have been eliminated to all but Facebook, here is a thread to discuss the latest or past columns from Greg Hatcher. Here are the archives of past columns: http://www.cbr.com/author/greg-hatcher/

Greg is one of the main reasons that I come to this site. We are of similar ages, with similar interests in comics, pulp literature, books, and other entertainment areas. Greg's columns about his classes are inspiring and his points of view on comics, tv & movies, and other topics are insightful and entertaining. My ultimate favorite, though, are the bookscouting trips. They are one part travelogue, one part book review, one part essay about life. Greg's been with the site a long time and brings a heck of a lot of knowledge (and, for me, nostalgia) about the Bronze Age of comics. Greg is also a published author, with work available from Airship 27. Check out his work.

The most recent column, about the DC-100 PG issues of JLA was another trip back in time, for me. I had all of those and actively sought out all of the 100-PG issues I could find. I had most of the superhero titles, and things like the Tarzan ones; but, never even had a whiff of the horror or romance ones. These, along with the DC Digests and Limited Collector's Edition/All-New Collector's Edition (and similar releases at Marvel) were the trade books before trade collections.

I definitely second Rob's comment. If you get the chance to meet Greg (or his lovely wife, or his amazing students) in person, you'd be a fool to yourself to miss it.
Also, if you can't get enough of the man, I'd definitely recommend checking out the Radio vs. the Martians podcast where he turns up every so often. He's got the best stories.

I definitely second Rob's comment. If you get the chance to meet Greg (or his lovely wife, or his amazing students) in person, you'd be a fool to yourself to miss it.
Also, if you can't get enough of the man, I'd definitely recommend checking out the Radio vs. the Martians podcast where he turns up every so often. He's got the best stories.

Thanks for launching this thread, CodyStarbuck. I could just as easily have written everything you said in your second paragraph (and just added that, although I'm a few years younger than him, I grew up about 20 or so miles south of where Greg spent his childhood - so I can also relate to some of his Oregon-related comments and nostalgia). And I also warmly second (third?) the suggestion of seeking out and listening to all of the Radio vs. the Martians (and Podcasta La Vista, Baby) podcasts featuring Greg (and Pól for that matter).

Great column Greg. A lot of synchronicity in it for me as well...I just picked up the Star Trek Passage to Moauv book and record set at a flea market earlier this summer for a whopping $5 (but it had someone's footnotes scrawled on the front cover) and I just discovered Owen Wister's The Virginian 2 nights ago when I got around to reading the first (and only) issue of Adventure Illustrated a comic mag from New Media Publishing circa 1981 with a phenomenal Jim Starlin cover. There was an excerpt of Wister's Virginian in there, a piece about frogs, with spot illustrations by Dazzlin' Don Heck. I had never heard of Wister before that, and now twice in the same week I encounter him. Love those Jones covers too, and you can never go wrong with a little Fritz Leiber.

Love reading about other people's hunting (comic, book and toy hunting mind you) trips. Great fun. Looking forward to part 2.

Love the latest column; more books and reunions with the past. I'd add one name to the fantasy artist list, when Frazetta wasn't available: Ken Kelly. Of course, Kelly was related to Frazetta's wife; but, from what I have read, wasn't taught by Frazetta. Kelly's stuff was a bit more "real" to me, compared to Vallejo. I loved his covers to Robert Adams' Horseclans series, and they were what got me to pick up my first book from the series.

Poor Zane Grey got left out of the group who helped shape the modern western. Col. Potter would be pretty riled up. My dad, too. It's a bit sad; but, when I was a bookseller, the only people who seemed to browse and buy from the western section were almost all over the age of 60. I spent a good chunk of my childhood in that world, as Gunsmoke and Bonanza were still on tv, on the networks and syndication, and you could find things like Maverick, Have Gun Will Travel, the Lone Ranger, Wyatt Earp, The Lawman, The Rifleman, and the Wild Wild West on local stations. Heck, I remember watching Branded weekday afternoons, when I was in elementary school. The Virginian was one of our favorite shows (it was still on the network, when I was very young, and syndication for a few more years) and James Drury and Doug McClure were favorite actors. It's probably why I am very forgiving of the Amicus Burroughs adaptations (though they are very entertaining, despite the budgets).

Sadly, we just lost Hugh O'Brian, who played Wyatt Earp on tv, and traded shots with John Wayne, in The Shootist. After Gene Wilder and now O'Brian, it seems like my childhood is slipping from the world.

I'm gonna have to track down some of Leiber's other writing. I've read all of the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser and love it I need to see what his other stuff was like.

More great stuff. I watched SWAT religiously, as a kid, though I barely remember and episode details. Mostly just the gunplay, the UPS van flying through the street and Robert Urich smiling, while Steve Forrest growled. The tv episode books are a bast from the past. My brother had a Happy Days one, based on the episode where Fonzie goes back to school ("Fonzie Drops In," I think). I used to have a bunch of movie tie-in books and wish I still had some of them. I had the one for Fitzwilly (I think it was actually an original novel that was adapted; but, it had the tie-in cover) and theLT Robin Crusoe, USN book was hilarious, unlike the actual movie (which was amusing, at best). Zorro the Gay Blade was a riot on paper; but the film seemed to fall flat, often. A lot of the best jokes were stepped on, in the delivery, in the film. It just goes to show how an actor's timing and skill can affect the material.

I appreciate the appreciation. However, I should note that i am retiring from CBR as of this week's outing. Didn't want to be a diva about it or do a big teary farewell outing or anything, but I am done. I'll be around the forums here and there, certainly, and should have a new online home in a month or so. But honestly i think I've said my piece about comic books and superheroes, after almost eleven years of a weekly column. I don't want to just endlessly repeat stuff, and honestly, the new layout is not conducive to feature writing. Parting on amicable terms. No villains or anything, it was just time.

Many thanks again to all who had nice things to say over the years. I assure you it means a lot.

You can find a bunch of books I wrote stories for here. The weekly column is here.

So I don't post much of anything, in fact i've been pretty much a lurker though I had an account on the boards before the wipe in 2014. Anywho, one of the reasons I used to love reading the CSBG blog was because of the great writing of one Mr. Hatcher. Greg, your ability to talk about all things geek and splice humor with pathos is truly a gift. I will miss your articles here at CBR but I agree, the new format is not so great for feature writing and the feedback process.

Life took me away from reading your fine articles so I have a backlog to get to but I will definitely check out your new online presence if you let us all know about it.